Witchcryer - "Cry Witch" [Album Review]

Riffs, riffs and more riffs! The core tenet behind many of rock and metal’s more successful outfits. The classic metal bands of yesteryear built their success on releasing memorable, personal and emotional music, given life by riffs that carried a voice of their own. Witchcryer are very much of this mould. Across nine barnstorming, energetic doom pieces Cry Witch keeps you hooked in with its vicious claws made of – you guessed it – riffs, riffs, and more riffs.

Cry Witch is a ridiculously entertaining record. The riffs are delightfully devilish, ripped straight out of the 1970s, digging into your mind in an attempt to find a space in order to stay there forever. I say let them stay. There are a lot of Sabbath-esque riffs here, but there is a good amount of variation. "Witchfinder General", for example is a faster, more energetic affair with a little bit of that good ol’ southern fried flair going for it. "The Preying Kind", however, employs a slower, more chugging riff, but one that is just as memorable. You’ll have plenty of fun discovering Cry Witch all for yourself. This is an album you’ll come back to time and time again. It’s not a sombre affair like a lot of other doom can be. Aside from the slow, heavy and altogether superb "The Preying Kind", there’s nothing particularly depressing about it (some of the lyrics can be quite dark, but more on that later), what we have here is tremendously fun and it’s not just thanks to the stunning riffs.

The lyrics are top dollar, too: “You witches are evil, you worship the Devil, so listen to what I say” is crooned over the lively "Witchfinder General". Indeed, witches come up a lot (unsurprisingly) over the nine tracks present here and, despite the relatively upbeat (for a doom record) guitar tones, the lyrics get dark. The record opens with the title track, a lovely little ditty that covers the cheery theme of slavery, a topic that comes up again in "For the Slaves". In addition, a lot is spoken about the Devil, religion and black magic. It never becomes too much, however, far from it. Suzy Bravo’s powerful vocals are pitch-perfect throughout, even breaking out into a scream every now and then – there’s a lot of emotion to her voice, which fits effortlessly into the doom family tree. Plus, even if the lyrics are a touch too dark for your liking, the rip-roaring guitar solos, and incredible riffs should be more than enough to keep you coming back for more.

Witchcryer’s Cry Witch is an incredible album. Built on the foundation of tasty riff after tasty riff, there is a lot more fun to have with the record than you’ll find in a lot of other contemporary doom. The lyrics cover dark subject matter, but they work hand in hand with the truly memorable and expertly crafted doom that’s whirring away in the background. Cry Witch is one of the finest doom records I have ever heard - let it take over your mind.